Auburn enjoying good start to football recruiting

We don't want to say Auburn has gotten off to a fast start in football recruiting this year, but...

...Auburn has gotten off to a fast start n football recruiting this year.

Now that we said it, we'll prove it.

Auburn has eight commitments for the 2009 signing class midway through May. Last year, Auburn had two commitments midway through May. The year before, Auburn had three. The numbers are more revealing the farther back we go.

Auburn had a grand total of one football commitment on this date from 2002-2006. That's one early commitment those five years. Auburn's eight commitments this time are second only to LSU and Georgia among SEC's fastest starters.

We now rest our case... except that some of these numbers are...well...just a tad misleading.

The 2009 commitment list is at an all-time, untouchable high for this early in the recruiting process. That says Auburn is aggressive.

But the truth in advertising law requires us to point out some of those numbers about previous classes aren't exactly accurate. Those numbers are only for players who committed who actually signed with Auburn. We checked in a most random and haphazard manner to discover some commitments sort of just disappear.

Last May, junior college cornerback Blair Irvin committed to Auburn. What happened to him? He signed with Kansas State. We found a guy from the original commitment list named Thearon Collier. He signed with Miami. In May of 2006, Auburn had a commitment from defensive back DeQuan Bembry. He's at Marshall. There are others who changed their minds or couldn't make the grade.

What to make of all of this? Almost nothing. Players come and go for every team. No need to sweat that. The real bottom line, Auburn appears to be off to a fast start in recruiting this year.